Foods law in Thailand defines how food is considered, classified, and its related safety prescription.
The law in subject is the Food Act, issued on May 8th, 2522. According to the Food Act, “Food means edible items and those which sustain life”.
Food includes the following:
(1) Substance can be eat, drunk, sucked or gotten in to the body either by mouth or by other means, no matter in what form, but not including medicine, psychotropic substances, narcotic under the law as the case may be.
(2) Substance intended for use or to be used as ingredients in the production or food including food additive, colouring matter and flavouring.
The integral text of law is easily available online.
After the issue of Food Law in Thailand (1979) more than 400 announcements and notifications have been released by Thai FDA and by the Ministry of Public Health. It’s all about update, new rules, and amendments that you can find listed below, by topic, or that you can download here: DOWNLOAD FOOD LAW IN THAILAND AND NOTIFICATIONS BY THAI FDA.
| TOPIC | NOTIFICATION |
SUMMARY |
| 1. Appointment of the Board of Directors | (423) 2021 | Appointing a qualified member of the Food Committee. |
| 2. Appoint a competent official | (385) B.E. 2560
(396) 2019 |
To appoint a competent official to implement the Food Act B.E. 2522 |
| 3. Prohibited foods import or sell | (263) B.E. | Glucomannan or konjac root starch in a small container) |
| (264) BE 2545 | stipulates food prohibited to produce, import or sell (all kinds of puffer fish and foods containing Pufferfish meat as an ingredient) | |
| (310) 2551 (2008) | Prohibition of production, importation or distribution of food containing other things or substances other than food in Food containers and packages | |
| 388 B.E. 2561 (2018) | food that is prohibited to be produced, imported or sold (Partially hydrogenated water and food containing water it is processed by filling partial hydrogen) | |
| (391) B.E. 2561 (2018) | food that is prohibited to be produced, imported or sold (Brominated vegetable oil, salicylic acid) (salicylic acid), Boric acid (boric acid), Borax (borax), potassium chlorate. (potassium chlorate), coumarin, or 1,2-benzopyrone (1,2- benzopyrone) or 5,6-benzo-alpha-pyrone (5,6-benzo-alpha-pyrone) or sis-or Tho-coumaric acid anhydride (cis-o-coumaric acid anhydride) or ortho-hydroxy Cinnamic acid lactone (o-hydroxycinnamic acid lactone), dihydrocumarin (dihydrocoumarin) or benzodihydropyrone (benzodihydropyrone) or 3,4-dihydrocumarin (3,4-dihydrocoumarin) or hydrocoumarin (hydrocumarin) (8) Diethylene glycol or dihydroxydiethyl-ether (dihydroxydiethyl ether) or diglycol or 2,2-oxybis-ethanol (2,2-oxybisethanol) or 2,2-oxydiethanol (2,2-oxydiethanol), dulcin, or 4-ethoxyphenylurea (4-ethoxyphenylurea) or para-phenethol carbamide (para-phenetolcarbamide) , AF- 2 (AF-2) or 2-(2-furyl)-3-(5-nitro-2-furyl) Acrylamide (2-(2-furyl)-3-( 5-nitro-2- furyl) acrylamide) or furyl furamide (furylfuramide), potassium bromate (potassium bromate), formaldehyde (formaldehyde) Formaldehyde solution (formaldehyde solution) and paraformaldehyde (paraformaldehyde), substance melamine and substances in the melamine group, only cyanuric acid (cyanuric acid), and food that has been used (1)-(13) is a component | |
| 4. Food prohibited to be imported or sold | (174) 1996 | stipulates food that is prohibited to be imported or sold (Foods that are past the expiration date or past the recommended limit for consumption are baby food and food. Follow-up formula for infants and young children, supplementary food for infants and young children, milk Modified infant formula and modified milk follow-up formula for infants and young children, sour milk, Pasteurized cow’s milk, special purpose food) |
| (345) 2012 | stipulates food that is prohibited to be produced, imported or sold (Food contaminated with Crynine C genetic material, Cry 9C DNA Sequence) 4.3 377 (2016, prescribing criteria and conditions for food at risk of mad cow disease) | |
| 5. Objects that are forbidden to be used in food | 390 (B.E. 2561) | prescribing rules, conditions and methods of use of food substances produced for sale. import for sale or sold (calcium iodate) or potassium iodate It is allowed only to adjust nutritional status related to iodine deficiency. As approved by the Food and Drug Administration, methyl alcohol (methyl alcohol) or methanol (methanol) is only permitted as a production aid. (processing aid) for food additives according to the announcement of the Ministry of Public Health, on food additives and food for export, stevia, which has the name Science that Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni and Stevia products allow It can only be used in the following cases, i.e. stevia leaves are herbal teas as announced Ministry of Public Health on herbal tea, steviol glycosides (steviol glycosides) according to the notification of the Ministry of Public Health regarding Food additives, stevia or extract from stevia used for the manufacture of steviol glycosides according to (b), stevia or its products other than stevia other than (a)-(c) as prescribed by the Food and Drug Administration Approved under the requirements of the Notification of the Ministry of Public Health, Re: Food and stevia or stevia products produced for export)) |
| 6. Containers | 92 (1985) | Determination of quality or standards of containers use of containers and the prohibition of objects which is a food container |
| (295) BE 2548
369 (2015) |
The quality or standard of plastic containers | |
| 7. Label | (182) 1998
(219) 2001 392 (2018) |
nutrition label |
| (373) B.E. 2559 | the display of nutrition symbols on food labels. | |
| (367) 2014
(383) 2017 (401) 2019 (410) 2019 |
Food labeling on containers | |
| 394 (B.E. 2561) | Food that requires nutrition labeling. and energy, sugar, sugar, fat and sodium GDP | |
| (365) 2013 | the display of the word “premium” on food labels. | |
| (366) 2013 | the display of the text “premium” on the label of fresh cow’s milk and full-fat cow’s milk pasteurized butter | |
| (384) 2017 | Gluten-Free Labeling | |
| 8. Food serial number | 8.1 according to specific announcements Specifically controlled food, defined food quality or standards and the required food have a label | |
| 9. Good methodology In production | (420) B.E. 2020 | production methods, production tools and food storage |
| 386 B.E. 2560 (2017) | the production methods, tools and utensils for the production and storage of vegetables or some fresh fruit and labeling | |
| 10. Food standards for all kinds of food | (413) B.E. 2020
(414) 2020 |
food standards for contaminants |
| (334) (371) 2015 | The radioactive contaminated food standard stipulates conditions for the importation of food. There is a risk of radioactive contamination. | |
| 387 B.E. 2017
393 (2018) (419) B.E. 2020 |
food with pesticide residues | |
| (303) 2007 | Food with veterinary drug residues | |
| (268) 2003
(299) 2006 |
Food standards that are contaminated with certain chemicals | |
| (269) 2003 | Standard for Contaminated Foods Beta-agonist chemicals | |
| (416) Year 2020 (Effective January 7th 2024) | Food standards for pathogenic microorganisms | |
| (376) 2016, | new food (Novel food) | |
| (424) 2021 (430) 2021 | stipulates food that is prohibited to be produced, imported or sold | |
| (428) B.E. 2021 | Food Standard Containing Tetrahydrocannabinol and Substances cannabidiol | |
| 11. Specific Controlled Foods | 121 (1999) 2011 (331) | Food for those who want to control their weight |
| 156 (1994)
(167) 1995 (286) 2004 (307) 2007 |
Modified milk for infants and modified milk of follow-up formulas for infants and young children | |
| 157 (1994)
(168) 1995 (171) 1996 (287) 2004 (308) 2007 |
Infant food and follow-up formulas for infants and young children | |
| 158 (1994)
(169) 1995 |
Supplements for infants and young children | |
| (281) 2004
(363) 2013 (372) 2015 (381) 2016 (418) 2020 |
food additives | |
| (359) 2013
(379) 2016 |
Cyclamate (Cancelled) Repeal of the Notification of the Ministry of Public Health (No. 359) B.E. 2556 Re: Cyclamates | |
| (360) 2013
(380) 2016 |
Stevia glycosides (discontinued) Subject: Cancellation of the Notification of the Ministry of Public Health (No. 360) B.E. 2556 Re: Steviol Glycoside | |
| (409) 2019 | Enzymes for use in food production | |
| (412) 2019 | cleaning or disinfecting products used for food | |
| (425) 2021 | Hemp seeds, water, hemp seed oil Hemp Seed Protein and food products that have Composition of hemp seeds, water, hemp seed oil or protein from hemp seeds | |
| (427) 2021 | Food products containing cannabis or hemp components | |
| (429) 2021 | Food products containing cannabidiol extract as an ingredient | |
| 12. Prescribed food quality or standard | (350) 2013
(406) 2019 |
cow’s milk |
| (351) 2013
(407) 2019 |
Flavored Milk | |
| (352) 2013
(408) 2019 |
Other Milk Products | |
| (353) 2013 | sour milk | |
| (354) 2013 | Ice cream | |
| (355) 2013, | food in sealed containers | |
| (356) 201
(402) 2019 |
beverages in sealed containers | |
| 83 (1984)
2011 (327) |
chocolate | |
| 150 (1993) | Rice with added vitamins | |
| 2011 (333) | Edible salt | |
| (195) 2000
2011 (332) |
electrolyte drink | |
| (196) 2000
(277) 2003 2011 (329) |
tea | |
| (197) 2000
(276) 2003 2011 (330) |
coffee | |
| (198) 2000: | Soy milk in sealed containers. | |
| (199) 2000 | Natural mineral water | |
| (201) 2000 | Some sauces | |
| 2010 (317)
2010 (322) (404) 2019 |
Seasoning products obtained from soy protein digestion. | |
| (203) 2000
2010 (323) (403) 2019 |
fish sauce | |
| (204) 2000 B.E. | Nam Som Sai Chu | |
| (421) 2021 | Oil and fat | |
| (422) 2021 | Fish oil | |
| (206) 2000 B.E. | Butter | |
| (348) 2000 | Margarine, blended butter, margarine products and mixed butter products | |
| (208) 2000 B.E. | Cream | |
| (209) 2000 B.E. | Cheese | |
| (210) 2000 | Semi-finished food | |
| (211) 2000 | Na Phung | |
| (213) 2000 | Jam, jellies and marmalade in sealed containers. | |
| (226) 2001 B.E. | Butter | |
| (227) 2001 B.E. | Preserved eggs | |
| (236) 2001 B.E. | Eggs Stomach | |
| (314) 2009 | Liquor | |
| (426) 2021 | Tea from plants | |
| (283) 2004 | the amount of polar substances in water It is used for frying or cooking for sale. | |
| 61 (1981)
135 (1991) (220) 2001 (256) 2002 (284) 2004 (316) 2010 |
Consumed water in sealed containers | |
| 78 (1984)
137 (1991) (285) 2004 |
Na hard | |
| (293) 2005
(309) 2007 (405) 2019 (411) 2019 |
dietary supplement | |
| (294) 2005 | Royal Jelly and Royal Jelly Products | |
| 2010 (324) | Water, salt for cooking | |
| 13. Food that must be labeled | 44 (1980) | Food in Sealed Containers (Repealed) |
| 100 (1986) | Labeling of ready-made agar and jelly snacks | |
| 2010 (325) | Irradiated food | |
| (200) 2000: | Sauces in sealed containers. | |
| (223) 2001, | flavoring agents | |
| (224) 2001 B.E.
(228) 2001 |
Chewing gum and candy | |
| (237) 2001 | Labeling of ready-to-cook and ready-to-cook food ready for immediate consumption | |
| (238) 2001
(357) 2013 |
Food has a special purpose* Special Purpose Food (No. 2) | |
| (243) 2001 | Meat products | |
| (251) 2002 | Food labeling obtained from genetic modification or genetic engineering techniques | |
| (376) 2016 | new food (Novel food) | |
| 14. Other | (229) B.E. 2544 | repeal of the Announcement (No. 162) B.E. 1995 (Cancel the request for notification of certain foods imported for sale, such as vegetables-fruits fresh or frozen whole fruit without processing) |
| (232) B.E. 2544: | Repeal of Announcement No. 14 (1979) (Remaining water from Mono production sodium glutamate or water BX) | |
| (259) 2002 | The use of methanol as a substance in some types of processing aid | |
| 2010 (326) | Food included in containers | |
| 2011 (339)
(346) 2012 |
The use of probiotic microorganisms in food |
On Quality Standard Certificates: https://www.siamdevelopment.com/food-quality-standard-certifications-in-thailand/
On Food classification: https://www.siamdevelopment.com/food-classification-in-thailand/
Updates 2023/2024: https://www.siamdevelopment.com/food-import-in-thailand/
Summary
Article Name
Food Law in Thailand
Description
Foods law in Thailand defines how food is considered, classified, and its related safety prescription.
The law in subject is the Food Act, issued on May 8th, 2522. According to the Food Act, “Food means edible items and those which sustain life"
Author
Diego Sala
Publisher Name
Siam Trade Development
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